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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. lean — to bend
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a skill
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. lean — thin
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — in a race
  20. kid — to tease
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — to tire
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. kid — child

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com